Why the Mandatory Internet Connection?

[Dallas4lr]

Ted,

With Revision 1 I was able to download my cards at home, head out to the track, open RDSS and handicap or review races without having to access a internet connection.


With Revision 2 after you download your cards, and take your laptop to the track when you start RDSS it will not open a race card unless it can go out on the internet and verify your subscription. This has occurred on two different laptops.

The issue I see is that I have gone to an OTB several times and their internet was down. With RDSS 1 this wasn't a problem, you only needed the internet to download the card, and set your expiration date once per year. After that web access was not required.

Am I experiencing a glitch, or is this something that you might consider changing.

[Ted Craven]

Yes, that is a glitch, a bug, and I have fixed it in the next release (next week). RDSS should not care whether you are connected to the internet unless you want to download race cards or access the tote streams. It was never my intention to harass users by checking the subscription status each time they run RDSS2.

It was a completely unintended (and unexpected) consequence of the encryption scheme I used in the last version's License file, which I have just completely replaced (another case of too clever by half ). It appears that the License file encryption scheme library required access to the internet, otherwise the License file became corrupt and was treated as if the software had not been registered at all.

Please note: this will also happen even if your computer IS connected to the internet, but your Windows Firewall is blocking access to RDSS2. If this is the case, you will have to manually add RDSS2.EXE to your your Firewall's list of programs permitted to access the internet.

Very sorry for that. Here is the full bug report on this (http://paceandcap.com/forums/showpos...8&postcount=29)

[atkinsrr]

Hi Ted...just a thought...I know it takes extra time but installing "Snag It" and printing out all your reports..put them in a 3 ring binder then go to the track is the way I do it...sometimes the internet goes down at Ellis Park & it's really a pain to take a lap top to the track...it's so crowded and ya hafta share a table sometimes...Ellis is only 5 miles from my house but I'm finding it better to stay home and bet online...more private, no noise, can concentrate better..and the refrigerater is only a few steps away..I'm getting ready to get another lap top so now I'll have 3 computers set up in my computer room, kind of a mini off track facility just for me. Of course I'll still attend the live meet this summer...anyway just an idea for others to consider...

[Ted Craven]

Randy,

Print outs are a good backup plan - though not updatable when scratches or surface changes occur. I like your plan of a mini-OTB in your own home: at least you can argue successfully there with all the 'loudmouths'

I am finding the new Windows 8 tablet I got to be a remarkable tool. As a tablet, it runs RDSS just fine although better in a 2 panel layout due to the smaller screen. As another computer in my own in-house OTB, it ramps up to a big external HDMI screen just fine, throw on a mouse and keyboard and it's just like any other computer you have - except faster.

If you are seriously thinking about another computer for your office, consider a Windows tablet: MS Surface Pro, Samsung ATIV Pro 700T or Acer Iconia W700. If you can wait a month, consider the Lenovo Helix.

Real Windows computing and uncompromised mobile RDSS use is here now.

Good luck!

Ted

[atkinsrr]

Ted I usually refigure & reprint races if I have scratches...also I've already made arrangements to buy a friends used laptop that has windows XP on it ..so I'll be downloading my RDSS sometime in April...as you know I'm not really HI-TECH yet but sometime in the future guess I'll have to get that way......almost done with Saturdays GP and FG...been workin' and studying all day...good luck tomorrow everyone